International Adoption Helps Orphans in Ethiopia

Sources report that rising number of orphans in Ethiopia have raised the demand for adoptions to a record high. 1,400 Ethiopian children were adopted through international adoption last year a figure that is double the previous year's numbers. Currently there are 5 million orphans in Ethiopia.

Adoption agencies in the capital of Ethiopia doubled last year, it has become a profitable market as some adoption agencies charge adoptive parents fees of up to $20,000 per child.

Ethiopia's adoption authority, says adoption of orphans poses a lot of moral questions and "Adoption is the last resort because it doesn't help alleviate poverty in Ethiopia."

Although Ethiopian adoption laws are strict, the adoption process can happen in 10-15 days if all the paperwork is complete. Most children adopted from Ethiopia go to France, Australia, the US and Ireland. Adoptive couples are using internation adoption because of the huge waits to adopt within their own country.